Chris DeGroot 🚲
@ct_degroot
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Assistant Prof, Mechanical Engineering. Wastewater researcher, urban cyclist/cargo bike dad. Probably on a bike. @chrisdegroot @bsky .social
London, Ontario
Joined February 2015
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What if “learning to live with COVID” meant learning to live with basic precautions like masks and enhanced air handling rather than living with repeated infections until your long-term health is threatened?
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Interesting how people report having the “flu” when they are sick now.
I monitor wastewater and the level of influenza is minimal right now. COVID on the other hand is very high. It’s COVID. You probably have COVID.
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I measure COVID levels in hospital wastewater. Trust me, you don’t want mask mandates lifted.
#SecondOpinion
: Mask mandates are lifting in hospitals, long-term care homes and other health-care facilities across the country, marking an end to some of the last remaining public health restrictions against COVID-19 in Canada.
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“We can’t have mask mandates forever”
That’s correct. But there are a lot days between March 21, 2022 and the ultimate heat death of the universe; all of which would have been better options than the first day back after March Break.
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Remember when not wanting to get COVID was considered normal behaviour? No one asked why you wore a mask or why you didn’t want to meet at a restaurant. Good times.
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Ppl are asking why require masks in classrooms if you can get COVID elsewhere (e.g. a bar).
Some faculty/students (or their families) have health concerns. They can’t avoid the classroom like they can other crowded settings.
This is empathy; creating a safe space for everyone.
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Ontario: The house is on fire.
Kieran Moore: Here’s a glass of water.
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Interesting comments about “personal choice”. Sorry I didn’t realize Maxwell’s demon was sitting there distributing the good air and the bad air to people depending on their choice.
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Do motorists realize that getting more people to bike or take transit would actually reduce the vehicle traffic they are always complaining about?
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To be clear, I really don’t care where alcohol is sold.
I do care about good-paying jobs with benefits, in favour of more minimum wage part time jobs.
And yes, even cashiers deserve to earn enough to support their families
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Too many workers off sick with COVID… Ontario’s solution? Stop staying home when you’re sick. This should work out swimmingly.
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So... people know the two metre distancing rule for COVID is just made up right? Right?
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Media: Why aren’t you covering that many
@WesternU
community members support the current policy?
Many people are now able to attend campus that wouldn’t have been able to before.
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A couple things to add:
- I’m referring specifically to mask mandates in healthcare settings.
- What I’m seeing is that wastewater is *always* positive, meaning there are always people with COVID in the hospital. Levels are not explained simply by those admitted for COVID.
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Ford essentially just bought $1.2 billion of gasoline to give away instead of investing in education or healthcare. This guy is a crook.
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LCBO provides good-paying jobs and profits go to important provincial programs. I support this.
12:01am, it's official: LCBO workers are on strike across the province! 💪. Fighting for a better Ontario where public revenues stay in public hands. Welcome to Doug Ford's dry summer 🚫💧
#LCBOWorkersFightBack
#KeepItPublic
#ONpoli
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@DFisman
Personally I did not consent to being exposed to such risks for a minor increase in the GDP
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So does a Western University engineering professor
Western University biology professor wants mandatory COVID-19 shots for return to campus
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DoFo knowingly lead the province into this dire situation. He was reopening facilities as the third wave and variants took hold. Resignation is the bare minimum to hold him to account.
#FordfailedOntario
#ResignFord
"We're here because of a provincial government that refused to implement the timely, evidence-based measures the experts have been screaming for."
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It is incredibly dumb to call capital gains “double taxation”. Yes, you are investing after tax dollars but you are using them to *make more money* that you didn’t have before. That is income and it should be taxable.
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@chantz_y
@jessica_pomps
While not ideal, masking forever is completely sustainable. Once upon a time humans didn’t wear pants and most of us seem to have adapted well to pantsing forever.
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"One in 20 Ontarians" currently have an active COVID-19 infection.
Almost anywhere you go there will be at least one person infected with COVID. And now they probably aren’t wearing a mask.
'We don't have the staff': Juni says Ontario can't ramp up to 3,000 ICU beds
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It look less than 2 weeks after the wastewater surveillance program ended for another significant viral outbreak to occur. If it wasn’t canceled we could have rapidly implemented an mpox assay and be reporting data by next week.
We need continued Wastewater surveillance in Ontario. It is critical surveillance evidence not only for continuing to tracking COVID/flu, but emerging infections including the more severe Claude Ib Mpox declared a public health emergency of international concern by
@WHO
this
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If any organizations out there are supportive of wastewater surveillance, there are 14 universities ready to partner with you and get 2:1 matching on all our funding through NSERC Alliance. If you are willing to host interns through the Mitacs program, make that 3:1.
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Although funding expires in a matter of days, I have managed to find temporary funding to continue sampling in
@CityofLdnOnt
until the end of September. I have additional funding applications under review that could extend this further. This will only include the Greenway plant.
The funding for the province's wastewater surveillance system is set to expire on July 31st.
The province claims that "the federal government was expanding its wastewater surveillance program and it didn’t want to duplicate the efforts."
But when my team reached out to federal
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Quick tip for transportation designers. If the phrase “cyclists dismount” is used anywhere in your design, please delete what you have and start over. You aren’t even trying.
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Ontario’s wastewater surveillance program truly was one of the best in the world.
It was unique in that it was driven by academics labs. So, besides getting the data, the science of WW surveillance was being advanced by research that was able to happen in parallel.
“The overarching question is: Is the Public Health Agency of Canada well-positioned to answer the question of pandemic preparedness with only five [from 58] locations in Ontario? No, I don’t believe so.” Ford’s #: 416-325-1941
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This is disappointing news. I may have more to say in the coming days, but for now I just want to say that being involved in this program has been the experience of a lifetime. What a ride.
Deeply disappointed to learn that funding has been cancelled for the wastewater surveillance program in Ontario.
This has been critical information not only for COVID-19, but other infectious disease threats (Influenza, RSV, MPox, Polio & now H5N1) in Ontario.
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Brb… requesting permission to post the wastewater data. People have the right to know.
New masking policies at London Health Sciences Centre and St. Joseph's Health Care London come into effect Monday, April 24.
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One of these vehicles is of an appropriate size and scale for picking up groceries.
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Whoever designed the vaccine booking site for
@MLHealthUnit
- please grey out the days without any appointments. It’s ridiculous to have to click each day, wait a minute for it to load, only to find there are no appointments on that day.
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When I dedicated most of my research efforts over the past 2 years to wastewater surveillance, it was with the expectation that policymakers would react to our data. I’m disappointed that is no longer the case.
Might be a good idea to reintroduce mask mandates in indoor spaces. It's incredibly clear that we're in another wave. Just saying.
@WesternU
it's time to reverse course & lead. Your current policy dropping masking is putting the health of your students, faculty & staff at risk
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Good thing we have a robust wastewater surveillance program in Ontario… oh wait.
H5N1 bird flu detected in SF, first in California city wastewater
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I’ve never been so mad to receive a cheque for $380 in the mail as I was today receiving my license plate sticker refund. Surely this money could be put to use in some manner to help the province in the middle of a pandemic.
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Doug Ford has just announced that daylight savings time will henceforth be a personal choice.
Each person will be asked to do a personal time assessment and set their clocks accordingly.
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Not that this makes any sense. If you have any illness you should stay home to avoid infecting others.
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Note: I am aware that cold/flu have been used somewhat interchangeably to mean a general respiratory virus, since before COVID. What’s different now is that this is used to minimize the illness, avoid feeling the need to isolate/mask/etc.
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@nicole_wich
@hinz_tamara
People not staying home when sick is infuriating. Of all the things, how did that not stick.
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Students also saying they just want a “normal year”. Well, the best way to have an uninterrupted year is to prevent everyone from getting sick.
Followed by
@westernuProvost
explaining so eloquently why pandemic precautions- including vaccines and masks- will help their community of learners (and educators!) have a good shot at an uninterrupted, less stressful, school year.
#CovidIsNotOver
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Wondering why they don’t just wear a mask then? Two-way masking is vastly superior to one-way masking. Wear your mask to make the classroom a safer space for everyone.
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@mateosfo
Anyone who says an ebike doesn’t make you ride more has probably never had an ebike. I ride all kinds of bikes but having access to an ebike most definitely increases my distances.
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@MWConcertVideo
@TRyanGregory
That’s awful. Hopefully you are both able to wear mask for protection. Not everyone can depending on their medical condition, which is why I think it’s so important that everyone who can does.
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@bbbrazil__
@ConsAreCons
Yep, it was an article about a “flu bug” going around a hockey team that prompted this Tweet.
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@KateMarieGraham
The internet promised us information at our fingertips… unfortunately misinformation has become even more common.
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@jasmith_yorku
As an actual allergy sufferer, it’s amazing to see how many people also developed temporary allergies this year. I can tell you that’s not how it works!
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August 13, 2021, 2:00 pm: Official time of death for the Conservative Party of Canada.
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Recent wastewater data for
#LdnOnt
. Huge rise in SARS-CoV-2 levels since back to school. Check for regular updates.
#LdnOntPoopReport
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Wastewater signal spiking. I've never known so many people personally with COVID. This is bad. Wear a mask.
Well, we knew this was coming. The viral load in
#LdnOnt
wastewater has increased substantially from June 30th. I believe it is very safe to say we have entered a new wave locally (trailing other Ontario communities). Mask up everyone.
#LdnOntPoopReport
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For several months, my team at
@westernuEng
and
@SchulichMedDent
has been tracking the viral load of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus causing
#COVID19
) in
#ldnont
wastewater. Recently, we have seen an abrupt increase in the viral load (normalized by a fecal indicator).
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Ford’s government trying to use PHAC as an excuse to wind down the wastewater surveillance program. PHAC is having none of it.
This is the full statement we received:
“Federal wastewater monitoring programs do not duplicate the work done by provincial wastewater program.
While work is underway to expand federal testing in Ontario, the scope of the expansion would not replace the current scope of the
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@TomFloodOne
If you do try the baby gate, make it a pilot gate and only do one set of stairs. If you ever see the pilot gate not being used, argue to remove it.
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If everyone who isn’t going to show up to vote just showed up and didn’t vote for Ford, he wouldn’t win. Please vote.
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I’ve been wearing an N95 for two days (and counting) due to COVID symptoms that I don’t want to spread to the rest of the household. Please tell me again about the hardship of wearing a mask to the grocery store.
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Choosing to remove mask mandates when scientifically unjustifiable is a political statement.
Choosing to wear a mask despite lifting guidelines may be seen as a political statement, experts say
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@ellulie_
This is Canada. You can’t do anything if it would upset even one person that drives a car.
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@DrJenGunter
@YoniFreedhoff
While we’re at it, can we debunk the myth that getting sick regularly is somehow beneficial to the immune system? RSV infections can have serious consequences especially for preemies!
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@BarryHunt008
I fail to understand how most people seem to think this is better than just requiring masks on planes and airports.
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July 1, 2022. First day as a tenure-track faculty member at
@westernuEng
.
Not much change from my previous role as a full-time contract faculty member, except less teaching, more research, and a chance at tenure in a few years.
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Part of the success of this program is, in my opinion, the involvement of ~30 independent academics each with different expertise. Worth noting that none of us received a single cent of additional pay for this 3.5 years of work, but did it because it was valuable.
If an undereducated politician makes a decision that no one can defend (not even themselves) and experts unanimously have the opposite opinion, which one would you choose if the health of your family depended on it?
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Let’s get an accessible path in
@CityofLdnOnt
named after
@GerryLaHay
. Who’s with me?
We are deeply saddened to hear that Gerry LaHay has passed away. He was a dedicated advocate and our community was better for the work he did for London. Our thoughts are with his family and friends.
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@bhundey
Add to this the CBC story which showed what we already knew - axing the tax will on average benefit the wealthy and hurt everyone else.
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@tomflood1
@CHeartsTrees
For this analogy to be entirely accurate this would need to be a pilot road disconnected from all other roads
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Took longer to find a place to lock my bike than it did to vote. How is it not a requirement for polling locations to have a bike rack?
#Elxn44
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You know what would be better than telling people not to gather with their families for the holiday?
Free rapid tests so they can do so more safely.
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Ok. We *can* have mask mandates forever. However, I suspect there may become a time when a mandate may become unnecessary. Until then, masks should stay.
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Universities, including
@WesternU
, should be observing National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 30, even though the province won’t.
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Last year I paid $162 in carbon tax (home/water heating only). I get $745 back for a family of four.
I encourage everyone to do their own calculation. Most people (especially low and middle income) are getting more back than they pay.
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Ah, the sounds of London, Ontario at night. Illegal fireworks and street racing.
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@86thistimeline
I am going to start carrying a hockey stick with me. One, to measure this magical safe distance. Two, to strike people upside the head if they get too close without a proper mask.
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Universities that drop mask mandates will suffer shortages of teaching staff. And since we aren’t supposed to offer online alternatives anymore, I guess the students just miss out on content?
Airlines that dropped mask requirements are now suffering staff shortages due to COVID-19 - CBS News
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@Razorqueen
@CanGal_39
Yes of course there are some other viruses/conditions. But overwhelmingly it’s COVID. Pneumonia sounds terrible. Hope you recover soon.
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“SARS-CoV-2 viral titer measurements in Ontario, Canada wastewaters throughout the COVID-19 pandemic”
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Motorist: We don’t need a cycle track on this street. People can just take the parallel route 10 blocks over.
Also Motorist: Blackfriars Bridge is an essential route into downtown. I cannot possibly use Oxford, Riverside, York, or Horton.
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@jen_keesmaat
With all this time to come up with a cover story, if this is the best they can come up with, the real story must be really bad.
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Well, never doing business at Millar Berry Farm again. That’s a shame.
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We've just recorded one of the highest viral loads we've seen to date in the samples taken on Sunday. We will keep an eye on this but it certainly looks like a trend reversal.
#LdnOntPoopReport
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One year ago today, we welcomed the most wonderful baby boy to our family. He didn’t have the easiest start to life being born early at only 770 grams, but fought very hard to be with us today. I couldn’t be more proud to be his dad.
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How many things has Doug Ford screwed up on purpose so he can replace a “broken” system with his preferred option?
One of Doug Ford's first acts when he took power in Ontario government was to cancel 750 clean energy projects.
Now he's using the shortage of clean energy that he engineered as a pretext for trying to lock us into private contracts for dirty, GHG-spewing methane gas plants.
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Super cool to see the staff at
@graceLDNONT
fully masked today when the restaurant wasn’t even open yet. Paid a visit to the cafe next door specifically because everyone was masked. It’s only been a couple days, but any other
#ldnont
business with high rates of mask wearing?
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4 🚗 parking spots ➡️ 50 🚲 parking spots. Thanks
@WesternU
for prioritizing active transportation!
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Apparently The Works isn’t enforcing vaccine mandate. Don’t go.
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Well done
@ReidosLeitoes
. You continue to earn my business by following public health guidelines and throwing out the trash, so to speak.
At this restaurant where I have eaten a dozen times in the last month, I told them -outside on the patio where the segregated have to go- it’s cold but I’m not allowed inside because they discriminate against even regular customers like me because of my vax status! Threw me out!
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@DGBassani
@TextbookAmI
All arguments in favour of dropping masks are about feelings; all arguments opposed are about facts.
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“Most of our clients are circling around looking for parking”. No, they are looking for FREE (or very cheap) parking. There’s TONS of parking across the street at the market!
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Lots of reports that students are still mostly wearing masks in schools. This reinforces that kids don’t care if they have to wear a mask. It’s their loudmouth parents that want to make an issue of it.
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Apparently
@Bell
thinks it’s ok to block an entire sidewalk and force moms with strollers onto the road as long they use pylons.
I’ll keep Tweeting about these issues until
@CityofLdnOnt
and
@lpsmediaoffice
stop ignoring them.
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Having a “Disconnecting from Work Policy” for university faculty is kind of cute. If I did that I’d spend my entire workday answering emails. Fix the workload and people can disconnect.
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It’s not the pandemic, it’s the horrible departure schedule.
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Imagine parking like this and not being completely ashamed of yourself.
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